Distributor units are known, and also those of the compact type, which are used to position the distribution of tablets or pills in packets of the blister type, for example for the pharmaceutical or food sector, or other sector having similar needs.
Said distributor units use distributor discs suitably predisposed for the synchronized release of the tablets into a strip which advances and which has suitable seatings to accommodate said tablets.
In the following description, the term tablets shall also include pills, capsules and other products of similar or comparable type or size.
By distributor units of the compact type we mean units having a compact shape, as for example described in WO-A1-2009/115445.
These distributor units are studied and made so as to work a wide variety of types and shapes of tablets to guarantee a considerable production, in order to reduce the intervention times of ordinary maintenance, to make the tablets travel the smallest path possible thus generating less wear, and to reduce the bulk and consumption.
Precisely because of these characteristics, the basic adjustments must remain stable over time and the periodic adjustments (for example the periodical zero setting) have to be carried out without further controls and tuning, so as to affect the production cycle very little.
In the case of compact distributor units, the reduced spaces they entail are difficult to reconcile with fine-tuning interventions, adjustment and control, carried out in short times, if not programmed.
Compact distributor units, precisely because of their characteristics, therefore need a new way of conceiving and making the components in order to allow a correct functioning, to maintain the production advantage and to make a simple and quick start-up.
After a long period of trials and experiments with multiple new solutions, that is, solutions applied and conceived in a different way. Applicant has perfected the present inventive idea making a distributor unit that is functional, efficient and with reduced maintenance, as well as a constant high performance, while still keeping the easy disassembly, quick and safe replaceability of the distributor disk, without requiring particular zero setting controls.
In particular, the Applicant has found that the distributor disk has to be quick and easy to replace, at the same time guaranteeing, without particular attention or specific interventions, characteristics of planarity, vertical positioning, duration of the fine tuning, constancy in zero setting, as well as the constancy of response after every automatic zero reset. It should be noted that normally, although not always, in units such as these the zero reset is electric.
By zero reset we mean the coordination in time and position or the reciprocal initial positioning, of the distributor disk in relation to the other components with which it cooperates and coordinates.
A distributor disk of the type in question has a plurality of parallel rows, disposed circumferentially, of holes organized and suitably predisposed, having shapes and sizes coherent with the shape of the tablets which must be treated. The organized holes are disposed radially on the surface of the distributor disk.
In the case of electric zero setting, that is coordination in time and position by means of electric systems, the disk normally has, along one circumference, means which allow the detection of the temporal position of the disk: said means may be, for example, holes, ridges, wedges etc.
The zero setting means are provided in a precise geometric ratio with the organized holes for the temporary housing of the tablets. In this type of organization, therefore, the position of a zero setting hole determines the position of the organized radial sequence of, the holes temporarily housing the tablets.
The Applicant therefore set himself the task of achieving a system, connected to the distributor disk, which allows to assemble and disassemble the distributor disk quickly, without further setting and adjustments, except for the automatic zero resetting described above, which is normally carried out by the machine every time it starts.
The distributor disk is made to rotate by a motor member at a speed coordinated with the linear advance of the strip on which the seatings or alveoli are made, where the tablets must be put.
The strip is organized in sequential sections on which the alveoli, also called blisters, are disposed in a prefixed manner.
The coordination requires that, each time, the reciprocal position of the temporary seatings present in the distributor disk coincides with the alveoli present in the advancing strip.
Advantageously but not necessarily, the motor member also confers on the distributor disk a vibrating function, so that the distributor disk also contributes to the correct positioning of the tablets in the organized holes present in the distributor disk. Moreover, depending or not on the size of the tablets, the distributor disk must position itself in a precise, desired, coplanar and positioning, ratio, with respect to said strip containing the alveoli.
Furthermore, after the substitution of the distributor disk, the shaft which brings the motion has to be in a precise position with respect to the references which serve to achieve the zero reset.
This means the substitution of the distributor disk must always and in any case guarantee the correct positioning of the disk, on each occasion required, both with respect to the strip which contains the alveoli and with respect to the member which imparts the motion to the distributor disk.
The present invention proposes to solve all these problems, and others which will be described in the following description, and allow to obtain a rapid and precise substitution of the distributor disk, at the same time allowing the correct positioning thereof, which does not require further fine tuning, except for zero setting.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.